Doorstop

ABSTRACT

A doorstop adapted for mounting on a wall and contacting a door or doorknob to stop the swing of the door towards the wall, which comprises a resilient bumper which protrudes through an aperture in the front wall of a rigid base member. The bumper has an annular flange portion which abuts the front wall of the base member and a plate secured to the rearward portion thereof by which the bumper and base member are fastened to the wall.

United States Patent 1 Hoppock 1 1 DOORSTOP [75] Inventor: William E. Hoppock, Whittier.

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Builders Brass Works, Los Angeles.

Calif.

[22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1973 121] Appl. No.: 329,812

[52] U.S. Cl 16/86 A I [51] Int. Cl Fl6f l/36 [58] Field of Search 16/86 R, 86 A; 292/D1G. 2, 292/D1G. 8

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,899,703 8/1959 Johnson 16/86 A 3,386,125 6/1968 Hand... 3,484,891 12/1969 Borgen. 3,687,792 8/1972 Ruff 161/406 X 1 51 Feb. 11, 1975 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.050.987 12/1966 Great Britain 16/86 R 1.169.100 10/1969 Great Britain 161/167 Primary E.\'aminerRoy D. Frazier Assistant E.\'antt'm'r-William E. Lyddane Attorney, Agent, or Firm---Lyon & Lyon [57] ABSTRACT A doorstop adapted for mounting on a wall and contacting a door or doorknob to stop the swing of the door towards the wall, which comprises a resilient bumper which protrudes through an aperture in the front wall of a rigid base member. The bumper has an annular flange portion which abuts the front wall of the base member and a plate secured to the rearward portion thereof by which the bumper and base member are fastened to the wall.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DOORSTOP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Doorstops are commonplace items in homes and buildings and are generally secured to the baseboard or floor of a room or hallway. There are, however, several instances in which such mountings are impractical. In such cases the doorstops or bumpers are secured to the wall, usually in a position to contact the doorknob and thereby limit the opening of the door to prevent the door or doorknob from striking the wall itself. In the wall mounting of a doorstop, attempts are generally made to conceal the means by which the stop is secured to the wall in order to present a more ornamental appearanee, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,770. In several applications, of which schools are a good example, the means of securing the stop to the wall need not only be removed from plain sight, as taught in the above reference, but must be practically non-discoverable to prevent unauthorized removal of the doorstop. In conjunction with a well-concealed method of securing the stop to the wall, such applications also call for an extremely durable doorstop, which cannot be otherwise disassembled or damaged by tampering. U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,703 is an example of a doorstop which has a wellconcealed method of securing the stop to the wall, however, the apparatus described therein, as in the case of other known doorstops, allows removal of the resilient bumper by merely pulling the same away from the flange which sits in a peripheral groove in the bumper. In order to withstand the treatment commonly given doorstops in the schools and other public places a more durable doorstop is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the invention is comprised of a doorstop having a resilient bumper which protrudes through an annular base member. The bumper has an annular flange portion which is urged against the front of the base member by a plate which is secured to the rear of the bumper and held to the wall by a screw member extending therethrough.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a durable doorstop which is so constructed as to conceal the means by which it is fastened to a wall.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a doorstop which is adaptable to cooperate with a doorknob having a push button type latch.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a doorstop which is economical to manufacture and easy to assemble and install.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric elevation showing the resilient bumper with the plate and screw means affixed thereto prior to engagement with the retaining ring.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in section of the doorstop of FIG. 1, shown attached to a fragment of a wall and the manner in which the screw means is engaged by a suitable tool for securing the doorstop to the wall.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the doorstop of FIG. I socured to a wall and in contact with a doorknob having an outwardly extending push button latch.

Referring now in detail to the drawings. the doorstop I0 is seen to be comprised of a resilient bumper 12, an annular base member 14. securing plate 16 and screw means 18. The base member I4 has a front wall portion 15 and annular flange portion 17 defining an open end 19 which is adapted to abut a wall 42. The bumper I2 is constructed of rubber or other suitable elastomeric material having a durometer hardness which is such as to give the bumper adequate shock absorbing characteristics without unduly sacrificing strength to withstand repeated blows. The bumper I2 has a first recess 20 in the outwardly projecting end 22 thereof, an annular flange portion 24 extending radially therefrom and a base portion 26 which is adapted to be positioned through the central aperture 28 in the base member I4. The base portion 26 of the resilient bumper has a second recess 30 therein, which communicates with the first recess 20 in the outwardly projecting portion of the bumper through the aperture 32 in the inner wall 34.

FIG. 3 shows a doorknob 36 which is mounted on a door [not shown] and has an axially movable push button 38, the function of which is to operate a door latch [not shown]. The construction of the push button 38, its associated latch and doorknob 36 is not part of this invention and will not be described herein in detail. Push button 38 in the unlocked position, as shown, projects outwardly from the end surface 40 of doorknob 36. Recess 20 is provided, as described as above, in the forwardly projecting portion of the resilient bumper 12 to receive the push button 38 upon contact between the bumper and doorknob, thereby preventing any damage to the push button 38 and its associated latch, while protecting the wall 42 upon which the doorstop is mounted.

The doorstop I0 is secured to wall 42 by affixing plate 16 to the base portion 26 of the resilient bumper by means of a suitable adhesive 44 such as the thermo setting resin type, or other suitable affixing means by which the plate 16 can be securely affixed to the bumper. A screw I8 is pushed through the aperture 32 in the inner wall 34 of the bumper and aperture 46 in plate 16. A portion 48 about aperture 46 in plate 16 is flared outwardly to receive the head 50 of the screw 18. The base portion 26 of the resilient bumper 12, with the securing plate 16 affixed thereto and screw 18 carried thereby, is then placed through the central aperture 28 in the base member 16 until the flat surface 52 of the flange portion 24 of the resilient bumper abuts the frontal wall 15 of the base member with the open end 19 of the base member being flat against the wall. It should be noted that at this point an air gap 53 exists between plate 16 and the wall 42. The threaded portion of screw 18 is driven into the wall with the use of a screwdriver 54. As the securing plate 16 approaches the wall, the base portion 26 of the resilient bumper is stretched, pulling the flange portion 24 tightly against the front wall portion 15 of the base member 14. In this manner, the elastic properties of the bumper are effectively utilized to increase the holding force between the wall and doorstop. It should be understood that the size of the air gap 53 is a function of the holding force desired and the material of which the bumper is constructed.

Screwdriver 54 is shown engaging head 50 in FIG. 2.

It may be seen that any distortion of wall 34 caused by driver 54 is inserted therein may be accommodated by the recess 30 in the base portion of the resilient bumper. After screw 18 has been tightened to the point where the doorstop is firmly in place on wall 42, screwdriver 54 may be withdrawn from aperture 32 and the latter will contract to its normal size and thereafter conceal the presence of the screw from vandals or others who may wish to remove or otherwise tamper with the doorstop. In addition to effectively concealing the securing screw, the resilient bumper 12 is otherwise protected from forced removal by the use of an adhesive which creates a bond between the bumper and securing plate as strong or stronger than the resilient material of which the bumper is constructed. Such a bond eliminates the need for metal flanges seated in resilient peripheral grooves and other similar fastening means which are quite vunerable to vandalism and highly susceptible to wear.

Various changes and modifications may be made in carrying out the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. lnsofar as these changes and modifications are within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of the invention.

I claim:

1. A doorstop of the type generally mounted on a wall comprising a rigid base member having a front wall portion and aperture therethrough, a resilient bumper having a base portion and an annular flange portion extending radially therefrom, said base portion extending through said aperture, said flange portion abutting said front wall portion of said base member and said base portion being disposed at a distance from the wall to which said doorstop is to be secured upon said base member being placed against said wall, a support plate secured to said base portion of said resilient bumper,

said support plate having an aperture therethrough, means for securing said support plate to the base portion of said bumper and a fastening means adapted to extend through said aperture in said support plate and into said wall to extend said base portion of said bumper until said support plate abuts said wall, thereby securing said stop to said wall.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said securing means is an adhesive for bonding said support plate to said base portion of said resilient bumper.

3. The combination of claim 2 including a recess in the base portion of said resilient bumper. said recess facing said aperture in said support plate and, terminating at the opposite end thereof in a flexible wall, said flexible wall having an opening therethrough, said opening being of smaller diameter than one end of said fastening means, said end of said fastening means being disposed behind said flexible wall and in space relation thereto such that said end of said fastening means is concealed from view.

4. A doorstop of the type generally mounted on a wall comprising a rigid base member having a front wall portion with an aperture therethrough and an annular flange portion thereby defining an open end adapted to abut a wall, a resilient bumper having a forward contact portion with a chamber therein, said chamber being open at its forward end, a base portion and an annular flange portion extending radially therefrom, said base portion of said bumper extending through said aperture in said front wall portion of said base member, said flange portion abutting said front wall portion and said base portion terminating short of said open end of said base member, said base portion of said resilient bumper having a recess therein, said recess terminating in a flexible wall, said flexible wall having an opening therethrough communicating said recess with said open chamber, a support plate having an aperture therethrough and being secured to said base portion of said resilient bumper such that said aperture ofsaid support plate communicates with said recess, means for securing said support plate to the base portion of said bumper and a threaded fastening means adapted to extend through said aperture in said support plate and into said wall to extend said base portion of said bumper until said support plate abuts said wall thereby securing said stop to said wall, one end of said fastening means being disposed at the open end of said recess in the base por' tion of said bumper and in spaced relation to said flexible wall, said opening through said flexible wall being of smaller diameter than said end of said fastening means so that said fastening means is concealed from view.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said securing means is an adhesive for bonding said support plate to said base portion of said resilient bumper. 

1. A doorstop of the type generally mounted on a wall comprising a rigid base member having a front wall portion and aperture therethrough, a resilient bumper having a base portion and an annular flange portion extending radially therefrom, said base portion extending through said aperture, said flange portion abutting said front wall portion of said base member and said base portion being disposed at a distance from the wall to which said doorstop is to be secured upon said base member being placed against said wall, a support plate secured to said base portion of said resilient bumper, said support plate having an aperture therethrough, means for securing said support plate to the base portion of said bumper and a fastening means adapted to extend through said aperture in said support plate and into said wall to extend said base portion of said bumper until said support plate abuts said wall, thereby securing said stop to said wall.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said securing means is an adhesive for bonding said support plate to said base portion of said resilient bumper.
 3. The combination of claim 2 including a recess in the base portion of said resilient bumper, said recess facing said aperture in said support plate and, terminating at the opposite end thereof in a flexible wall, said flexible wall having an opening therethrough, said opening being of smaller diameter than one end of said fastening means, said end of said fastening means being disposed behind said flexible wall and in space relation thereto such that said end of said fastening means is concealed from view.
 4. A doorstop of the type generally mounted on a wall comprising a rigid base member having a front wall portion with an aperture therethrough and an annular flange portion thereby defining an open end adapted to abut a wall, a resilient bumper having a forward contact portion with a chamber therein, said chamber being open at its forward end, a base portion and an annular flange portion extending radially therefrom, said base portion of said bumper extending through said aperture in said front wall portion of said base member, said flange portion abutting said front wall portion and said base portion terminating short of said open end of said base member, said base portion of said resilient bumper having a recess therein, said recess terminating in a flexible wall, said flexible wall having an opening therethrough communicating said recess with said open chamber, a support plate having an aperture therethrough and being secured to said base portion of said resilient bumper such that said aperture of said support plate communicates with said recess, means for securing said support plate to the base portion of said bumper and a threaded fastening means adapted to extend through said aperture in said support plate and into said wall to extend said base portion of said bumper until said support plate abuts said wall thereby securing said stop to said wall, one end of said fastening means being disposed at the open end of said recess in the base portion of said bumper and in spaced relation to said flexiBle wall, said opening through said flexible wall being of smaller diameter than said end of said fastening means so that said fastening means is concealed from view.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said securing means is an adhesive for bonding said support plate to said base portion of said resilient bumper. 